Tessa Quinn
Junior doctors, now known as resident doctors, make up almost half of all doctors in hospitals in the UK. They are qualified medical practitioners who are either engaged in postgraduate training or employed in a non-training role. Junior doctors are responsible for many of the services provided by the NHS, and their training can take up to a decade to complete.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of junior doctors in the UK | 50,000 in England (as of June 2017) |
| Percentage of doctors in hospitals in England | 47% (as of June 2017) |
| Range of experience | Fresh out of medical school to a decade of experience |
| Training duration | About 4 years of further training after 4-6 years of medical school |
| Total training time | 8-10 years depending on specialty |
| Salary range for specialty doctors | £52,530 to £82,400 |
| Previous term | Junior doctor (replaced by resident doctor in 2024) |
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What You'll Learn
- Junior doctors make up almost half of all doctors in the UK
- They are qualified doctors, but not yet qualified to practice independently
- Junior doctors are now referred to as 'resident doctors'
- They are responsible for many services provided by the NHS
- Junior doctors have a wide range of skills and experience
Junior doctors make up almost half of all doctors in the UK
Junior doctors, now known as resident doctors, make up almost half of all doctors in the UK. As of June 2017, there were 50,000 junior doctors in England, out of 106,000 doctors in NHS hospitals and community health services. This figure includes doctors with up to ten years of practical experience on top of their medical degree. Junior doctors are responsible for many of the services provided by the NHS, and their skills and experience vary widely. They are qualified to practice medicine but work under the supervision of a senior doctor or consultant.
Junior doctors are medical graduates undergoing further training and are not yet qualified to practice independently. The term covers those who are fresh out of medical school, with around five to six years of medical school and university education, to those with almost a decade of experience. The first two years of foundation training involve working with patients and medical staff across different specialties, known as rotations. Junior doctors may work in hospitals or at GP surgeries, diagnosing patients, providing anaesthesia, and even saving lives.
The period of being a resident doctor starts when a doctor qualifies as a medical practitioner and begins the UK Foundation Programme. It can culminate in a consultant post, a general practitioner (GP) position, or a specialty doctor role. The training process is lengthy, and some junior doctors take time out to teach, travel, or conduct research. Moving from one rotation to another can be challenging, as it involves adapting to new hospitals, teams, and IT systems.
The term "junior doctor" has been controversial, with concerns that it creates misconceptions about the work and skills of these medical professionals. In 2023, the British Medical Association (BMA) voted to discontinue the term, and it was officially replaced by "resident doctor" in September 2024. This change was made to better reflect the level of experience and responsibility of these doctors, as the title "junior doctor" often underestimated their capabilities.
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They are qualified doctors, but not yet qualified to practice independently
Junior doctors, now known as resident doctors, are qualified doctors who have graduated from medical school but are still undergoing training. They are not yet qualified to practice independently without supervision. Junior doctors make up almost half of all doctors in hospitals in England. Of the 106,000 doctors in NHS hospitals and community health services in England, 50,000 were junior doctors in June 2017.
Junior doctors are responsible for many of the services provided by the NHS. They may treat patients in hospitals or at GP surgeries, and some have up to ten years of practical experience. However, they work under the supervision of a consultant and are still in training. The title ""junior doctor" does not always reflect their level of responsibility or experience.
After graduating from medical school, junior doctors first complete a two-year foundation programme, which gives them their first experience working with patients and medical staff. This is a requirement for all UK medical graduates and provides an opportunity to gain experience in a variety of specialties and healthcare settings. Following this, junior doctors can apply for specialty training in a particular area of medicine or general practice training to become a GP. This can take anywhere from three to eight years.
During their specialty training, junior doctors work under the supervision of a consultant and increasingly deal with patients firsthand. They may see patients in A&E, diagnose them, or put them under anaesthesia. Some junior doctors also work part-time as GPs.
To legally practise medicine in the UK, doctors must be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) and hold a licence to practise. This applies to all doctors, regardless of whether they work in the NHS or the independent sector, and all levels of registration. Doctors with registration but not a licence may work as academics or outside the UK, but they cannot undertake clinical work.
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Junior doctors are now referred to as 'resident doctors'
Junior doctors are now referred to as resident doctors. This change in terminology was adopted by the British Medical Association (BMA) on 18 September 2024, with the support of the government. The new title aims to better reflect the skills, responsibilities, and qualifications of these medical professionals, who make up a significant portion of the UK's healthcare workforce.
Previously, the term "junior doctor" was used to describe any medical graduate undergoing further training and not yet qualified to practice independently without supervision. However, this title often failed to accurately represent the diverse range of skills and experience that junior doctors possess, with some having up to ten years of practical medical experience. The term "resident doctor", on the other hand, is more indicative of their qualifications and the vital role they play in the healthcare system.
Resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, are fully qualified doctors who are either currently in postgraduate training or gaining experience as locally employed doctors. They work under the supervision of senior doctors and can be found in hospitals, GP surgeries, and various specialties across health services. They are often the first point of contact for patients, providing diagnoses, treatment, and even anaesthesia.
The decision to transition from "junior doctor" to "resident doctor" was driven by the recognition that the former term was misleading and demeaning. It implied a lack of qualifications and suggested that these doctors were students or apprentices, which is inaccurate and could lead to a demeaning attitude towards experienced professionals. The term "resident doctor" is already used in several other countries, including the USA, Canada, Australia, and several others, and is therefore familiar to many patients.
This change in terminology is a positive step towards valuing the contributions of these doctors and ensuring that the language used accurately reflects their skills, experience, and qualifications. It is important for patients to understand that resident doctors are highly qualified professionals, despite the "junior" label that was previously attached to them.
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$33.38
They are responsible for many services provided by the NHS
Junior doctors—now known as resident doctors—make up almost half of all doctors in hospitals in the UK. In June 2017, there were 50,000 junior doctors out of 106,000 doctors in NHS hospitals and community health services in England.
Junior doctors are qualified doctors who are undertaking clinical training. They are responsible for many services provided by the NHS. They may treat you in a hospital or at your GP surgery, diagnose you, or put you under anaesthetic. They can have up to nine or ten years of practical medical experience.
Junior doctors first complete a two-year foundation programme, which gives them their first experience working with patients and medical staff. After this, they complete either specialty training in a particular area of medicine or general practice training to become a GP. This can take anywhere from three to eight years.
Specialty training involves working under the supervision of a consultant, and junior doctors increasingly deal with patients first-hand over the course of the programme. Senior Clinical Fellows have the responsibilities of a regular doctor, but they also have assigned research from a consultant or unit lead. They take on some clinical duties, but their time is equally spent advancing their given specialism by carrying out academic and research-based tasks.
Ward cover is another responsibility of junior doctors. They are responsible for certain wards or parts of a ward. As the on-call doctor, they are tasked with continuing or completing any outstanding tasks from the day team, or following up on any acutely ill patients. They may be asked to review patients who've had a drop in blood pressure, a spike in temperature, are in urinary retention, or are otherwise scoring a high NEWS (National Early Warning Score).
Handover is something that is done at the beginning and end of each shift. It consists of handing over the patients you’ve seen either during the night or during the day on-call.
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Junior doctors have a wide range of skills and experience
Junior doctors, now known as resident doctors, make up almost half of all doctors in the UK. They are qualified medical practitioners who are either engaged in postgraduate training or employed in a non-training role. They have completed a medical degree and can have up to nine years of working experience as a hospital doctor, depending on their specialty.
After the foundation programme, junior doctors complete "'speciality training' in a particular area of medicine or "'general practice training' to become a GP. This can take anywhere from three to eight years. During this time, they increasingly deal with patients firsthand under the supervision of a consultant. Some junior doctors have up to ten years of practical medical experience.
The term "junior doctor" has been controversial, with concerns that it creates misconceptions about their work and does not reflect their skills and experience. As a result, the British Medical Association (BMA) voted to discontinue the term "junior doctor" in 2023, and it was officially replaced with "resident doctor" in September 2024. This change was made to better reflect the qualifications and experience of these medical professionals.
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Frequently asked questions
There are over 50,000 junior doctors in England, making up almost half of all doctors in hospitals.
A junior doctor is a qualified medical practitioner who is either engaged in postgraduate training or employed in a non-training post. They are now known as 'resident doctors'.
Junior doctors are responsible for many of the services provided by the NHS. They may treat you in a hospital or at your GP surgery. They can diagnose patients, put them under anaesthetic, and save lives.
